Fletcher, Justin

Norfolk, Va. The Norfolk Admirals have signed forward Justin Keller to an American Hockey League Standard Playerâ€™s Contract, Admirals General Manager Brian Lawton announced today.

Keller, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward from Nelson, British Columbia, has appeared in 23 games for the Admirals this season recording five goals and seven points. He ranks fifth on the team in goals and his 61 shots on goal are third on the team.

Keller had originally signed a Professional Tryout Contract with the Admirals on October 3. This is Kellerâ€™s third season in Norfolk. The 23-year-old fourth-year pro has appeared in 151 career games with the Admirals scoring 38 goals and 43 assists. He ranks in the top 20 of all-time games played (19th), goals (15th), assists (T-18th) and points (17th) in AHL Admirals history.

Last season, Keller ranked fifth in goals (18) and sixth in points (37) with the Admirals. In 2007-08, Keller tied for third in goals (15) and was fourth in points (37) with Norfolk. He represented the Admirals at the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic in Binghamton, New York.

Keller was an eighth-round draft pick (245th overall) of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He made his pro debut in 2006-07 with the AHLâ€™s Springfield Falcons, scoring 13 goals and adding 11 assists in 60 games. In 211 career American Hockey League games, Keller has scored 51 goals and added 54 assists.

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Bio

Though he lived in Maryville, Illinois, Fletcher began his playing career in the nearby St. Louis minor hockey system. After playing AAA hockey to increase his level of competition, Fletcher left high school his senior year to play for Sioux City of the USHL. He played three years for the Musketeers, his final year accumulating 12 goals and 31 assists -- good enough to be a 2nd Team USHL All-Star. He helped Sioux City to the league title in 2002. His first two years in Sioux City, his defense coach was Fred Harbinson, who left Sioux City for St. Cloud State University (SCSU) of the WCHA in Minnesota. Justin chose to play collegiately at SCSU not only because of his relationship with Harbinson, but the school was also losing some senior defensemen.

Fletcher played 29 games as a true freshman, netting 6 goals and 13 points, tops in SCSU's rookie class. He scored his first collegiate goal on a power play at North Dakota on Nov. 14, 2003. He'd continue to work his way up the depth chart and eventually become known as a high-character player and power play quarterback. He led SCSU defensemen in scoring his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. Fletcher's plus-19 rating his junior year led the team. He was also named Academic All-WCHA after his junior year. His career high for points also came in his junior season, when he scored 6 goals and 21 assists for 27 points in 40 games. His plus-21 rating his senior year was best on the team.

For his SCSU career, the Real Estate major had 26 goals, 60 assist, 86 points, 200 PIM, and was plus-27 in 143 games. He currently stands 1st all-time among defensemen at SCSU in power play goals (18), and is second in assists and third in points. Among all skaters, he is 14th all-time on the school's record list for power play goals, 16th for assists, 7th for shots on goal (312), 13th for plus/minus, and 13th for PIM.

After finishing his career with SCSU, Fletcher, an undrafted free agent, was signed to a Amateur Tryout Contract by the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. Fletcher provided an immediate offensive boost to the struggling Falcons, finishing his brief stay in Springfield with three goals and an assist 10 games. The Lightning thought enough of Fletcher's game to sign him to a one year, two-way NHL contract in the summer of 2007.

Fletcher served as a fill-in for the Lightning at the 2007 Traverse City, Michigan prospects tournament, where he earned positive reviews from the scouting staff. Fletcher finished the tournament with one assist, a minus-1 rating, and 6 PIM as the Lightning went 0-4.

He began the 2007-2008 season with Norfolk of the AHL.

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Norfolk Admirals GM Mike Butters was busy with the pen again today continuing to add roster depth by signing former Lightning overage defensive prospect Justin Fletcher to a standard AHL contract. Butters had signed center Pete Zingoni and goaltender Mike McKenna to standard AHL contracts on Monday. Fletcher, originally undrafted out of St. Cloud State in Minnesota, signed an ATO with the Springfield Falcons and eventually earned a one year NHL contract from then Lightning GM Jay Feaster in May 2007.

University of Vermont graduate Arthur Femenella will not be able to attend next month's prospect tournament in Traverse City, Michigan after all.

According to the Lightning, Femenella, a 6-7, 240-pound defenseman/forward, had surgery last week to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and will be out until November.

Taking Femenella's place in Michigan will be recently signed defenseman Justin Fletcher. A 2007 graduate of St. Cloud State, Fletcher was signed by the Lightning this spring. Fletcher played well enough on an ATO with AHL Springfield late last season to earn a one-year contract with Tampa Bay. His inclusion on the Traverse City roster will help bring more offense from the blueline.

Also in today's St. Pete Times, Damian Crisdotero breaks down the Lightning system by NHL readiness. One surprise on the list: defenseman Justin Fletcher from St. Cloud State who played well during an ATO stint with the Springfield Falcons at the end of last season. According to Crisdotero, Fletcher has signed a one year deal with the Lightning organization.

There have also been rumors that the Lightning are interested in bringing Falcons tryout forward Jacob Micflikier into the fold in Norfolk as well, although nothing substantial has surfaced as of yet.